A variety of arrangements have been devised for removing odor-producing gases from the space surrounding a toilet, alternatively referred to as a water closet. One approach has been to apply the intake of a suction blower to the room in which the water closet is installed, with a wall-mounted switch controlling the blower being made conveniently accessible. Another approach has been the provision of a ventilation system incorporated to at least some degree in the structure of the water closet itself. Some form of intake port or manifold is usually provided within the space defined by the bowl and seat, with a suitable blower being adapted with conduits to remove the gaseous accumulations from this space and deliver them to the usual stack vent associated with the sewer system. Present trends in the design of water closets are all tending toward unitary structures of relatively well-proportioned contours, and there is a present need for a ventilation system that can be incorporated in modern integral units with a minimum of alteration of the standard components, and requiring nothing in the way of additional exterior connections to an existing sewer system. A corresponding need is also present for a ventilation system that can have its controls incorporated in the unitary structure without special modification of the walls defining the bathroom.